Getting a new user name/changing identity/protecting privacy

[Marseeya]

Have any of you had to do this?

I've been thinking about getting a new username. I use Marseeya for a lot of things, and I'm going to start teaching fairly soon, so I'm kind of worried about that. I don't think I ever write anything out of line, but I'd hate to be put in a position where students, parents, or coworkers come across my posts and take them the wrong way, know what I mean? But at the same time, I LIKE my username, and I have over 5000 posts, and I have tags. Do I want to give them up?

I keep an online journal as well, and I'm going to password protect it. I certainly don't want to be Dooced.

What do you all think? Should I? Have you? Care to share your experience with having an online identity and being found out by people you know?

 

[WendyDarling]

I just recently did it and posted about it awhile back. I had someone IRL who found out who I was and was coming on here to read all my posts. Some of them were pretty personal, so I got uncomfortable. I just stopped posting on the DIS for a couple of months, but of course, this place is addicting, so I changed my name instead. I miss my tags and my large post count, but hey, that's not really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things!!

 

[sajetto]

I teach, but I haven't had a problem yet because I don't tell anyone from work that I'm on a Disney board. I keep my love of Disney very low key.

 

[Marseeya]

I just recently did it and posted about it awhile back. I had someone IRL who found out who I was and was coming on here to read all my posts. Some of them were pretty personal, so I got uncomfortable. I just stopped posting on the DIS for a couple of months, but of course, this place is addicting, so I changed my name instead. I miss my tags and my large post count, but hey, that's not really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things!!

Did you let your DIS friends know who you were before?

That's a shame you had to go into hiding like that, but I understand why you did!

 

[dznymom3]

I am very curious about that as well. I have lurked on these boards for a while and just recently began posting. I am very concerned about safety issues, etc. Has anyone had any problems?

 

[Marseeya]

I teach, but I haven't had a problem yet because I don't tell anyone from work that I'm on a Disney board. I keep my love of Disney very low key.

I try to keep it low key too, but even so my friends think I'm a freak! I don't even talk about Disney that much and they laugh about it. Oh, if they only knew the depth of it.

 

[Marseeya]

I am very curious about that as well. I have lurked on these boards for a while and just recently began posting. I am very concerned about safety issues, etc. Has anyone had any problems?

See, I wouldn't feel so bad if I had a screen name like yours. My problem is, I've been using Marseeya for years and years. I've never felt any reason to hide who I was, but then I realized that I'd feel differently when I start working.

I probably shouldn't worry too much. I live in a small town and I've never, in all these years, run into someone from my town. Isn't that odd?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am very curious about that as well. I have lurked on these boards for a while and just recently began posting. I am very concerned about safety issues, etc. Has anyone had any problems?

As far as I know the answer is yes. I have not had them but I do remember over the years here some serious things that happened to people, esp. people that are CM's.

 

[ILUVMYBRIT]

lol...I got a new user name but only because I left for a few months and couldnt remember what my old user name was. I was here back in 2000 and left last summer. Came back this past winter because I just couldnt stay away anymore.

 

[Christine]

See, I wouldn't feel so bad if I had a screen name like yours. My problem is, I've been using Marseeya for years and years. I've never felt any reason to hide who I was, but then I realized that I'd feel differently when I start working.

I probably shouldn't worry too much. I live in a small town and I've never, in all these years, run into someone from my town. Isn't that odd?

Marseeya,

As a poster using her first name, I totally understand. Back in 1999 when I started, I just didn't think about the safety issues, or that I'd be posting as much.

So, now when I sign up on other forums, listservs, I've tried to get better about it. Funny thing is, and not that I overly mind, but people can figure out immediately who I am on the other boards and it's not due to "posting style." I think there are some serious security issues on some forums (not sure about here). I don't know how many people are able to view IP addresses, but I suspect that mine have been given out.

I guess I always thought that board owners had some responsibility to protect privacy, but now I'm not sure.

 

[Cruisin]

I changed my user name slightly a few years back. I notified one of the webmasters about my wish to change it and it was granted without the loss of postcount or tags.

I did it because my real name was included in my user name and it is quite unusual and it would have been very easy for someone to find me if they wanted to.

I never had any problems associated with my old name but I wanted to make sure that I didn't have any in the future.

 

[RadioFanatic]

I changed mine b/c my old one was way too close to my real name - also naive I guess. No one "found" me, but I wanted to make sure that didn't happen. And then I picked a name that I had a hobby for, but literally no one other than my dh knew I had - so there we go.

 

[kimmikayb]

could you perhaps speak to the webmaster, explain the situation and have a name change but keep your count and tags?

 

[WendyDarling]

Did you let your DIS friends know who you were before?

That's a shame you had to go into hiding like that, but I understand why you did!

No, but if I remember correctly, I think I said you could PM me to ask. Either that or I was thinking of it and forgot to write it! My sig. is very similar, so I thought that might help, too.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I know of other posters here who have changed their names and been able to keep their post counts and original joining dates. I think that keeping your tags would make your new name recognizable enough to void the whole exercise.

Yes, there are people who have run into problems from being recognized on the DIS. It has happened.

What's done is done here, and there's no going back for me on the DIS.

That said, after learning what I have since I signed up here, when I join new forums, I sign up a username that doesn't have anything to do with my real name and location. I am also very careful not to disclose the names of anybody in my real life (especially my son's).

DS, DH, DP (as in Dear Pet) is all I need to say.

 

[Honu]

Yes, I had to. My former username contained part of my first name, which is unusual, and the city I live in. Someone (and I still don't know who) that knows me IRL started messing with me and after a couple weeks of it I decided to change my username and be more guarded about the personal info I post.

If you feel like it could potentially be an issue with your work or real life, I would not hesitate to change your username.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I changed my user name when I started chewing on the fact that it was the same as my Paypal email address (minus the info after @, but not hard to figure out).

BTW, all our posts on the DIS boards are available on Google, and employers commonly DO Google potential employees and look them up on forums such as MySpace and Facebook. The local newspaper interviewed some local university leaders, too, and they said they commonly look up student leaders (student government, fraternities, sororities,etc.) on Facebook to check up on them.

And using the same user name on many different forums can attract cyberstalkers. I admit I'm paranoid!

 

[bevtoy]

How can you change your name?

 

[Kimmielee]

You know... I've never thought about it... but I always try to get Kimmielee or some variation of it... and it is an old nickname...so I'm sure someone that knows me IRL could figure out it's me.

I just read that saddest post ever where someone is leaving the boards because of a stalker. It does make me think twice.... first that post, now this one.... sure does make you think doesn't it?

 

[LindsayDunn228]

So it's possible to get your name changed and not lose your post count or tags?